Plucking, or am I a paranoid mom?

[RegularCliche]

Hi all,

 

I just wanted to get input from you guys on this, if you don't mind... I'm hoping I'm just being a paranoid mom, but I'm a little freaked out that Maggie might be plucking.

 

As I said in my introduction post, she really doesn't seem neurotic or anything at all. She isn't scared of new items, people, or situations. She gets lots of love and attention, and I try to give her mental stimulation (I've bought her several foraging toys, and am always trying to make up my own so she won't get bored. She also has plenty of other toys.).

 

However - the other day, when she was wet, I turned her upside-down and was horrified to see a bare patch on her chest. I have pictures on my camera, but don't have the camera>computer cord with me, so I'll just describe it as best I can.

 

When she's dry, there's no bare skin visible there. But it looks kind of like there's a crease or something down the middle of her feathers - the closest picture I can find online to what I'm talking about is at http://thefeatherbarn.com/cart/images/afican%20grey%20congo.jpg . When she's wet, or when I separate her dry feathers by hand, there's a bare strip visible right where the crease is.

 

I've seen her preening, but never actually pulling out feathers... and I've seen the occasional downy feather in her cage when I clean it, but never a number that seemed excessive (they do just lose some feathers sometimes, yes?).

 

We have a vet appointment for her wellness check next week, but I'm really kind of freaked out right now. I've tried searching the forum, but don't see anything quite the same as this. Any input much appreciated! Thanks so much in advance!

[Poppy]

You canna see in my post about the shower but i was as freaked out as you cause George is the same ! I thought it was cause he is going through a really hard moult at the min !

[Dave007]

All african greys have that line down the middle of the body. The breast feathers are folding inward and covering the keel bone. Looks loike something Elvis Presley had in his younger days. More than likely that bare stop was just yourbird overpreening a certain area and thinning the feathers. As soon as areas like that get wet, they looklike bald spots but disappear when the bird is dry.

[RegularCliche]

Whew, so it sounds like I was just being paranoid. So relieved to hear it! I'll still keep an eye on the area to make sure it doesn't get bigger and catch any plucking early on, but I'll stop freaking out that I'm such a bad mom that I've driven her to plucking a month after bringing her home!

 

Thanks so much for the insight - I really appreciate it.

[Tycos_mom]

I think every Grey Parront in the world worry's if they are going to be good enough Parronts to keep their beautiful babies from plucking I worry everytime I see one of Tyco's flight feathers on the bottom of her cage and I alway check to see if its been chewed off or if it came out from molting. She use to barber her left side flights and since being with me she has let them all grow back. I still worry all the time. its been 2 years now with no chewing I just hope and pray it stays that way.